Fixing Mistakes
Chapter 21 - Back To The Future
?
'Bright. Bright light.' Caroline thought, her eyes squinting as she eyed her surroundings. All she could see was white, an all encompassing white light everywhere. 'Am I dead? Did Mikael kill me?' She tried to make out something within the whiteness - a shape, a person, anything - there was nothing just this eery blinding whiteness. Is this Hell? Heaven? The Other Side? In this time Amara was the Anchor to the Other Side so if she had died wouldn't she have appeared before her?
Still nothing. Only white as far as the eye could see.
Then...
The hair on the back of Caroline's neck stood on end. Electricity crackled the air around her. Her breathing quickened as she realized what she sensed. Magic.
The air crackled and two figures appeared. It was two women, both dressed in long white flowing dresses that wouldn't have looked out of place in Ancient Greece. The smaller of the women had long black hair that reached her waist, the other had brown hair that gently curled around her face down to the top of her breasts. They were effervescently beautiful, unnaturally perfect features with eyes that pierced through you.
"Hello, Caroline Forbes." The brown haired woman greeted Caroline.
"At last our paths cross." The black haired woman smiled.
"Who-" Caroline bit her lip as she eyed the two women with caution, "Who are you?"
"I am Ara." The brown haired woman - Ara - revealed herself.
"I am Nera." The black haired woman - Nera - introduced herself to Caroline. Her shoulders released the tension that she had been holding, they had finally found Caroline.
"How do you know me? Where am I? What am I doing here?" Caroline shot questions at Ara and Nera, she needed to know what the hell was going on, she was sick of being pulled out of time and leaving behind the love of her life. She needed answers, and she needed it to be over.
"We are the ones whom brought you to the past." Nera answered.
Caroline swallowed. She has finally come face to face with the people responsible for taking her away from the future and putting her in the past. Her thoughts were all in a jumble, she had a million questions and not one of them came to the forefront of her mind.
"And we have come to save you." Ara added. She could see the questions that Caroline had within her, it all must be so very confusing for her, this girl out of time.
Caroline came out of her silence, "Save me?" She glanced from Ara and Nera, "From what? Mikael? You? Or yet another trip through time where I leave my husband and family heartbroken." Tears filled her vision as she thought about what Klaus's last memory of her would be - Mikael with his hand in her chest, about to rip out her heart - he would be devastated, he would believe her truly to be gone this time with absolutely no hope of her coming back, "He will think me dead..." Her gaze implored them to answer honestly, "Am I- Am I dead?"
Ara shook her head, "No, Caroline, you are not dead. Not yet."
"Yet...?" Caroline asked hesitantly, afraid of what the answer could be.
"The destroyer's hand is deep within your chest." Nera replied, her voice gentle and knowing, "He is but moments from pulling out your heart."
"If we had not arrived when we did." Ara's gaze was sad at the outcome that almost was, a few seconds later and all hope for the future would be lost. Caroline would be dead and Klaus would be lost to darkness, "Your soul would now be on the Other Side."
"So where am I now?" Caroline asked, her heart racing at how close she was to death. Could they send her back? Save her from Mikael and reunite her with her husband? She hoped so.
"You are in the inbetween." Nera answered, she waved her hand in the air and an image appeared out of nowhere, a clear picture which stood out starkly against the blinding whiteness, "The space between all of time."
Caroline looked at the scene in shock, "Stefan..." Stefan was sitting in a courtyard, his posture filled with tension as he spoke to Elena and Elijah. As they noticed something out of the picture their faces filled with horror. Klaus walked into sight, his face was blank, void of any feelings, and he was covered in blood. She gasped, "Klaus...What?... Is this..." Her teary gaze looked to Ara and Nera for answers, "Is this the future?"
"Yes." Nera answered, her gaze slid to the window of the future, her heart aching at the pain Klaus was in, "Unfortunately so."
"What happened?" Caroline asked softly, her eyes full of tears at the pain she could clearly see in future Klaus's eyes, "Why is he covered in blood? Why are Stefan and Elena with Elijah? What has happened in the future since I've been gone?" She looked down to the ground and swallowed before hesitatingly asking, "How long has it been?"
"Barely a week has gone by." Ara answered Caroline's last question.
"What?!" Caroline gasped, her eyes wide in shock, "I have been in the past for almost two years and you're telling me it has only been a week!" She swung her gaze between Ara and Nera in disbelief, "How is that even possible?"
"Time is not linear, Caroline." Nera answered, having the gift of sight she was the most able to explain it to Caroline, "Imagine that you drop a pebble in a pond, the ripples move out in all directions. The ripple is time, undisturbed by choice or decisions." She waited a beat to see if Caroline understand, she nodded her head so Nera continued, "Now imagine skipping a stone several times across a lake, multiple ripples happen that impact on the ripples before and after it. That is time affected by the choices that you make and the big decisions that you take. Each decision affects the direction of your next choice. Time is always flowing, we just alter the direction of where it flows."
"Okay." Caroline kind of understand the concept of time that Nera had just explained. Maybe, sort of, okay not really, she was as confused as ever. Perhaps she should ask a direct question, "Don't really understand but okay. Whatever. That doesn't explain why two years in the past equals a week in the future. How?"
"It does not?" Nera replied, her eyebrows raised, "Because it explains everything."
"No, it really doesn't." Caroline fired back, she waved her hand in the air dismissively, "Time flows like a river, with ripples and pebbles and blah blah blah. Doesn't explain a damn thing."
Ara swallowed her laughter at the perplexed look on Nera's face. She loved her sister dearly but she never quite got that not all of humanity would instantly understand what she spoke, no matter how simply she explained it. The truth was the truth, changing it would not make it easier to understand, Caroline had to believe it before she understood it.
Nera searched her mind for a simpler way to explain it to Caroline. There was none. Sighing, she tried again, "We skip a stone across a river, the ripples flow out and start to catch and change the direction of the next skip. That is the natural flow of time." She could see that Caroline was getting frustrated, it would seem to her that she wasn't answering the question but she was, "Now what would happen if we dropped a pebble near to where the stone first skipped?"
Caroline's eyes brightened as she started to get it, "A ripple would appear."
Nera grinned as Caroline began to understand, "A ripple that flowed out, in all directions, at a different pace than the other ripples affecting their directions." She placed her hand on Caroline's and squeezed gently, "You are that pebble, Caroline. You were dropped into the past and all your actions influenced the direction of the ripples." Nera frowned, "Then you were taken to a different part of time and yet another ripple formed."
"Time is constantly moving." Ara continued the explanation, "The ripple from your first time in the past has only just reached the future."
Caroline got it, suddenly everything became clear, and she knew exactly what Nera had been trying to explain to her. She knew, down in her soul, what Ara's words meant, "Who has remembered?"
Ara smiled, she knew that Caroline would understand, she was a very smart and perceptive person, "So far?" Caroline nodded, "Only Niklaus."
Caroline glanced at the image of the future again. Klaus looked as if he was without emotions but Caroline could see, his eyes were full of pain, and he was covered in blood which could only mean one thing, he had lashed out and killed someone. Tears fell down her cheeks, "Oh god! He remembered my death, didn't he?"
"He remembered what he believes to be yours and Henrik's death." Ara answered, as gently as she could, not wanting Caroline to feel anymore pain than she already felt.
"No, no, no, god no." Caroline sobbed, her heart breaking for Klaus as he once again mourned her when she was still alive, "When will his pain end? Must he be cursed to mourn me forever? I am ALIVE! I'm alive..." She glared at Ara and Nera as something inside her finally broke, too much had happened to separate her and Klaus and she was SICK of it, absolutely furious that she was taken away from her love again, "Why did you send me to the past? Why did you take me away when we were so happy and I was prepared to spend the rest of my human life with him? Why send me to this time, where I once again become so unbelievably happy, only to be killed by Mikael?"
"Caroline," Ara felt for Caroline, all that had happened to her, the good and the bad, finally bubbled over into anger, "we were only responsible for sending you to Niklaus's human past."
"The darkness ripped you away from your human life with Niklaus and sent you to this time." Nera let the honesty shine in her eyes so that Caroline believed her, "The darkness would have took you away again if Ara and I had not hijacked their ritual and came to you."
"It was just in time to save you from Mikael." Ara added gravely, mere seconds later and Caroline would be dead.
Caroline took in what Ara and Nera both told her, she could see that what they told her was the truth, they were only responsible for the first time, the darkness was the cause for all the heartache that Klaus and her family had suffered. She still needed to know why, "Why did you send me to the past in the first place?"
"An... event... took place that never should have. It resulted in something... unnatural and unexpected..." Nera began explaining, censoring herself so that she didn't reveal too much, "It would be the start of a darker future for you and Niklaus, taking you farther and farther away from one another until..." She lowered her head to the ground and almost whispered, "...the darkness overtakes him and the light is destroyed. All hope is lost."
"So you sent me to the past?" Caroline was skeptical about Ara and Nera's reason, she knew they were holding things back and that didn't set well with her, "I don't understand why. Why would sending me a thousand years into the past affect the future?"
Ara chewed on her lip before replying, "You and Niklaus were always meant to be one. The darkness conspired to keep you apart in the future, they set in motion certain things that tore you away from each other." She shared a look with her sister before Nera nodded in the affirmative, "We sent you back to the beginning in hope that you and Niklaus would complete your bond and chase away the darkness."
"Then they got to you before you and Niklaus could become bound and sent you away to this time." Nera picked up the explanation, "I do not believe that they actually wanted you and Niklaus to meet in this time but," her lips curled into a smirk, "your bond to Niklaus drew you to him, and since you two have become even more entwined together, your bond..."
"...is now complete." Ara finished for Nera, a happy grin lighting up her face, "The future is safe and you can come home now."
"Home? To Klaus?" Caroline asked hesitantly, afraid of what Ara and Nera's answer would be.
"Back to the future, Caroline." Nera answered, she took Caroline's hand in hers, "It is time we took you back to where you belong."
Tears filled Caroline's eyes, "I belong with Klaus."
Ara and Nera shared a concerned look.
Retrieving Caroline and returning her to where she belongs would not be as simple as they first believed.
2014
Elijah eyed his brothers bloody state with concern, "What has happened, Niklaus?"
Klaus stared at Elijah blankly, "I killed the werewolf pack."
Elijah's stomach dropped and his being filled with dread. There was only one werewolf pack that he was aware of, Hayley's pack, what had Klaus done? "Which pack?"
Klaus smirked, his eyes filled with darkness, "There is only one, brother. The Crescent wolves."
Elijah swallowed, "You've killed Hayley's family?"
"Not just her family, Elijah." Klaus walked up to his brother and placed his hand on Elijah's shoulder, "I also killed Hayley and that thing she was carrying." He chuckled before moving away, "I also took Sophie's life. That interfering little bitch finally got what was coming to her."
"You did what?" Elijah roared, before whooshing over to Klaus and lifting him up by his bloodstained shirt, "How could you murder the mother of your child?"
Klaus took the hand from his chest and kicked Elijah's legs out from under him, "Because the woman that I love is DEAD!"
"What?" Stefan yelled, he shook his head in denial, it couldn't be possible, Bonnie never saw Caroline, she's the Anchor to the Other Side, she would have SEEN Caroline if she were dead, "You're wrong. If Caroline were dead Bonnie would have seen her. She's the Anchor to the Other Side."
Klaus turned his head to look at Stefan, "The Bennett witch is the Anchor in this time." He tilted his head to the side and his heartbroken gaze bore into Stefan's, "But whom was the Anchor in the tenth century? Caroline was human back then so she would have gone straight to heaven with my little brother."
Stefan looked at Klaus with confusion, "What are you talking about?"
"We only just learned that Caroline was sometime in the past." Klaus reminded Stefan of what they had learned from Davina.
"So why do you think that Caroline is dead? We have no proof of that." Stefan argued.
Klaus approached Stefan and allowed him a glimpse into his tormented emotions. He showed his old friend the pain, heartbreak, grief and utter devastation that he felt. He placed his hand on Stefan's shoulder, "I am sorry, Stefan, but I remember it."
"What?" Stefan breathed, his eyes filling with tears as his head shook in denial, "You're wrong, she's alive, Bonnie would know." A tear made its way down his cheek, "She'd know."
"She was human, Stefan." Klaus's voice was hoarse as he tried to contain his raging emotions, "She died a thousand years ago the same night that my little brother died." His breath hitched, "I lost them both that night." Memories of the days that followed swam across his eyes, "Their deaths were the catalyst for my mother to turn us into vampires."
"No, no, no..." Stefan backed away from Klaus, the tears pouring out of his eyes, his heart shattering inside of his chest. He had just lost his best friend for the second time. He stumbled against the wall, sobs escaping his chest. Caroline was gone, forever, she died as a human and there is no way to get her back.
Katherine felt a hint of sadness at Caroline's death. After Caroline had allowed her to stay in her dorm room and their little torture session with Wes, she had grown a liking toward Caroline. It genuinely did pull slightly at her heartstrings, looking at how devastated Stefan was pulled at her heart even more. He looked destroyed by the news.
Oh god, Caroline... Stefan sobbed even harder, she must have been buried somewhere within Mystic Falls for the last thousand years. As he'd been befriending her she was already buried in the ground. She was already dead. A keening noise left his throat, he had failed to protect her like he promised her he would. He took a shuddering breath and somehow found the strength to ask Klaus, "Where is she buried?"
"We never found her body." Klaus answered. The question felt like a punch in the gut, he had no grave to mourn, no final resting place, she was just gone.
"How?" Stefan whispered, unable to speak louder as he tried to hold in his cries.
"Henrik and Caroline were outside on the day of the full moon. I grew worried at their absence so my siblings and I went looking for them." He struggled to get the words out, the memories were so new and yet felt like he'd lived with them for a thousand years, "We found evidence of a struggle, we followed the trail until we reached a clearing where we found one of Henrik's shoes and Caroline's ring, covered in blood."
"Ring?" Stefan asked curious, did Caroline still have her daylight ring with her?
"Her wedding ring." Klaus slammed his eyes shut to try and hold back the tears in his eyes, "Caroline was my wife."
"No freaking way!" Katherine burst out, unable to hold back her complete surprise that Caroline had married Klaus.
Klaus glared at Elena, "You don't seem upset, Elena." He inclined his head toward Stefan, "Stefan is devastated after knowing her a few short years. You, however, have known her your entire life." He sped in front of Elena and glared down at her, "And yet you do not shed a single tear."
"I'm still processing." Katherine hurriedly attempted to show some kind of emotion toward Caroline's death before Klaus added her to his list of kills.
Elijah quickly intervened before Klaus crossed anyone else off his enemy list. He stood behind Katherine and pushed him slightly away from her, "Do not take your rage out on anyone else, Niklaus."
Klaus narrowed his eyes at Elijah's protectiveness over Elena, "Since when do you care so much for the doppelganger? I thought your desire for them ended with Katerina?" A smirk curled his lips as anger darkened his gaze, "Why else would you fall in love with Hayley when she supposedly carried your brothers baby. Why would you risk our relationship if not for love, brother?"
Klaus couldn't know it but every word he spoke was a dagger in Katherine's heart. Just hearing that Elijah possibly fell in love with Hayley broke her heart, no matter that Elijah had sex with her it still hurt.
Elijah's heart was full of grief for Hayley and his niece, while also still overwhelmed that Katherine was here with him. He couldn't explain what he had felt for Hayley all he knew for sure was that his love for Katherine was stronger than whatever he had felt for Hayley. He stood tall and strong behind Katherine and met Klaus's gaze head on, "Now is not the time to talk, Niklaus." He glared meaningfully at his brother, "When you realized what you have done then come to me. I will not speak with this rage filled version of you."
Klaus glared back and hissed, "I do not regret a thing, Elijah." He spun around and made his way up to his room, he had an entire liquor cabinet to empty.
Katherine swallowed once Klaus was gone. She wanted to be near Elijah and yet far away from him at the same time. Her emotions were confused and she was a ball of hurt. Ignoring Elijah she made her way over to Stefan, she placed her hand on his back and soothingly ran her hand over him. His pain tore at her, and caused a sharp sting of jealousy in her gut, Stefan really loved Caroline.
Stefan closed his eyes at the first touch of Katherine's hand on his back. He didn't know whether she was comforting him as part of her 'Elena' ruse or because some part of her cared, either way he didn't care, he needed someone, anyone, to comfort him. Caroline was normally the one he went too for comfort but she was not here and she never would be again. Another sob tore through him at that thought.
"Stefan..." Katherine was at a loss at how she could comfort Stefan. He was one of the great loves of her life and she had no clue what to do to make him feel even the slightest bit better.
Stefan couldn't stand Katherine's touch any longer. She was pretending to be Elena and yet she hadn't even faked a tear for Caroline, he didn't know if he was grateful or pissed. He shrugged off her hand, "I need to be alone." He all but ran to one of the rooms in the compound, found every bottle of alcohol in the room and prepared to drink himself into oblivion where Caroline's death wouldn't hurt him so much.
Katherine sighed as she watched Stefan run away from her. For once she only wanted to be there for him with no ulterior motive. He was hurting and it was understandable, he never did well with grief.
Elijah broke the silence, "Kat..."
Katherine cut Elijah off, "Don't say that name, Elijah! They may be grief stricken but that doesn't mean they have suddenly become deaf." She softened her tone as she noticed the hidden grief in his gaze, "I'm sorry for your loss, Elijah." She dropped her gaze as she all but whispered, "I know you cared for her."
"I did." Elijah admitted. He noticed the way Katherine's shoulders slumped almost unnoticeably at his statement. He placed his fingers under her chin and slowly raised her gaze to meet his, "I felt an attachment to Hayley, whether it was because she carried my brothers child I do not know. All I do know is, that however much I may have cared for her, it was nothing, absolutely nothing, compared to the way I feel about you."
Katherine's breath caught, her eyes trapped in Elijah's deep gaze, "How do you feel about me?"
Elijah smiled and lowered his head to rest against Katherine's, "I love you," he nuzzled her nose before whispering in her ear, "Katerina Petrova. "
A grin curled Katherine's lips, "I love you too, Elijah Mikaelson."
Elijah smiled before lowering his mouth against Katherine's. He finally had the woman he loved back in his arms, and he was never going to let her go again.
Katherine raised her hands up to cradle Elijah's face as she kissed him back. She would have to tell him that she wasn't just posing as Elena she WAS Elena, she had passengered herself inside of her. He deserved to know the truth, just not yet. Her kisses became more desperate as she feared losing him once and for all when she told him.
1543
"Noooo...!" Klaus screamed brokenly as Mikael's hand was about to leave the chest of his wife with Caroline's heart in it.
Mikael grinned maliciously, his eyes alight with triumph.
Then there was nothing.
No Mikael.
And no Caroline.
Where is she? Where is Mikael? What happened to them? Those where some of the thoughts that went through Klaus's head as he stared unseeing to the spot where Caroline had just been.
The sound of running footsteps were heard. Knees slid across the ground to stop in front of Klaus. Hands cradled his face and he was met with the concerned eyes of his brother.
"Nik?" Kol felt taken aback at the blank expression that stared back at him, "Nik, what has happened?"
"Mikael was here, he took Caroline, hurt her, and now they have both disappeared." Klaus answered monotonously, stuck somewhere between shock and grief.
"Where, Nik?" Kol's voice grew sharp with concern, "Where did father take Caroline?"
"Nowhere." Klaus was slowly coming out of his shock. He looked at the bloodied tree where Mikael strung up Caroline. His hands balled up into fists, his fingernails dug into his hand drawing blood, "They both disappeared. One moment they were in front of me, Mikael was about to take Caroline's heart and the next they were gone."
Kol's heart clenched at hearing that Mikael had Caroline's heart in his hand. If he'd hurt his sister-in-law in anyway he would find away to kill that bastard, "Do you believe that Caroline has time travelled again?" He prayed that she had.
"I wish that she has." Klaus answered, his heart couldn't take losing Caroline again, this time he would know that she was lost forever, and if that were true it would destroy him. He would turn it off and kill every person that he could get his hands on.
"Then she has." Kol decided, his voice solid with conviction.
Klaus chuckled humorlessly, "How are you so sure, brother?"
"Because it is Caroline." Kol smiled down at Klaus, his hand resting on his shoulder and squeezing it, "We thought her lost once. We were wrong. She lived then and I am sure that my stubborn strong sister lives now."
Klaus returned Kol's smile, a sense of renewed hope filled him. Caroline was indeed stubborn strong and beautiful. If there was a way for her to come back to him she would. But as a precaution, "Has Elijah left yet?"
"Yes, I saw him leaving earlier." Kol narrowed his eyes at Klaus, "His case was packed. Has he left us for good?"
"For a time." Klaus replied, he recalled his conversation with Elijah and the reason for his quick exit, "He is on his way to France." He mulled over whether to call him back or leave him be. He made his decision, "Send someone to tell him what has happened, but we won't wait for him to come back." Klaus stood up and smirked at Kol, "It is time to prove yourself, brother. You and I will handle this."
Kol was stunned. Klaus had always ALWAYS coveted Elijah's advice and support in times of need. All he had ever wanted was to be included for once and not treated like the younger brother that he was. He would not let Klaus, or Caroline, down. He straightened his shoulders and raised his chin, "Whatever you need me to do, Nik, I will do."
"Find me a witch, Kol." Klaus asked, he needed a witch to determine whether Caroline was merely gone or dead, "Particularly one whom is well versed in matters of the Other Side."
Kol nodded, "Consider it done."
Klaus smiled and returned Kol's nod. He turned away from the scene of Caroline's torture and made his way back to the castle. He went to the parlour and grabbed a decanter full of alcohol then collapsed on the nearest chair. He took the stopper out and threw it into the fire. He brought the decanter to his lips and swallowed as much of the liquid as he could. A tear ran down his cheek. He continued to drink as tear after tear fell down his cheeks. Caroline was gone yet again, and he had no way of knowing whether it was temporary or permanent, it was maddening.
"Why must you always leave me?" Klaus whispered, his hand clenching around the glass until cracks started to form, "WHY?" He threw the decanter into the fire, the flames growing brighter for a moment before returning to normal, "Why Caroline?"
"N- Nik?" A small voice broke the silence.
Klaus spun around at the sound of Henrik's voice. He noticed his brother was half hiding in the doorway scared. He tried to school his features into something less grief stricken, but by the way Henrik still hid in the doorway he didn't think he was that successful. He wiped a hand across his face to rid his cheeks of the tears he'd shed, "What is it, Henrik?"
Henrik swallowed fearfully before replying, "I heard yelling... and screams." He looked down at the floor as he asked, "Has- Has something happened?"
Klaus thought about lying to Henrik before Caroline's voice entered his head reminding him to be honest with his family. He sat down on the lounger and patted the space next to him, "Come sit beside me, Henrik, I have something that I must tell you."
Henrik hesitated for a moment before slowly making his way to Klaus. He sat down and turned his full attention on his brother, "What is it, Nik?"
"Do you remember our father?" Though Klaus loathed to call that man his father he had to for Henrik.
"Yes, of course." Henrik nodded, his eyes glazed over as he thought about his father, "Father wanted me to go straight to the caves that day but I disobeyed him. I had to make sure Caroline was safe."
"It was a very brave thing to do, Henrik." Klaus smiled down at his innocent little brother, he hated to shatter whatever illusion of Mikael he had but he promised Caroline that he would be honest with his family, "If you had not been there to protect Caroline, then you might not be sitting here in front of me."
Henrik blushed and looked down at his lap.
Klaus smiled even more before the seriousness of the discussion caused his smile to fade and a frown to take its place, "Our father is a completely different man than he was as a human."
Henrik looked at Klaus shocked, "Father is alive? And he is not human." He asked curiously, "Is he also a vampire?"
"Yes, Henrik, he is." Klaus answered, he took a moment before he revealed, "But he is not like our siblings or Caroline. He... only feeds off other vampires and he has been hunting myself, Elijah, Rebekah and Kol for over five centuries."
Henrik scrunched his brow in thought, "I do not understand. If father only feeds on other vampires than he is trying to not hurt people."
"It is not that simple, Henrik." Klaus shook his head then continued, "He makes no distinction between a good vampire or a bad vampire. To him the only good vampire is a dead vampire."
"Why?" Henrik's voice trembled as he learnt more about whom his father had become, "Why would he do that to them and why would he hunt you and our siblings."
"I can not answer for Mikael. He did a terrible thing in one of his first acts as a vampire and since that moment he has become a monster." Klaus would not reveal that Mikael killed Esther, Henrik was not ready for that, "The reason he hunts us is because of me."
"Why?" Henrik asked, his heart hurting at what he'd learnt about his father, "What did you do that was so bad?"
"I was born." Klaus replied, his hands clenching at having to reveal to Henrik about his true parentage.
Henrik furrowed his brow, "What do you mean, Nik?"
"Our mother," Klaus took a deep breath, "She had an affair with a man from the nearby pack of werewolves. I was the result." He swallowed thickly, unwilling to take a glance at Henrik's expression, "I had no idea until the night just after I became a vampire, I killed... someone... and that triggered my werewolf gene and I began to turn. I am a hybrid, or at least then I was."
Henrik was learning things about his parents that would change how he viewed them forever. His mother laid with another man and his father had become a monster. Then what he heard Klaus say finally registered, "How come you are not a hybrid now if you were back then?"
"Mikael convinced Ayana that I had done something terrible that he had actually committed." Klaus hated Ayana for what she'd done, she had been so hospitable to Caroline, and then to him once he married her, that he still felt the pain from her betrayal centuries after she turned on him, "Grief stricken, Ayana cast a spell on me. She bound my werewolf side so that I was only a vampire and not a hybrid anymore. She took away a part of me, making sure that I'd never feel whole again, which still aches on nights of the full moon."
Henrik laid his hand on Klaus's arm, "I am truly sorry, Niklaus."
Klaus dropped his head and whispered, "There's more."
"More?" Henrik hesitantly asked, he didn't know if he could take hearing anymore about his parents and their wrongdoings.
"Mikael was here tonight. He hurt Caroline and now they have both disappeared." Klaus said quickly, not wanting to go into anymore detail than that.
Henrik looked stricken, "Was Caroline hurt bad?" How could his father do this to his own family.
"Yes, she was." Klaus choked back a sob, his heart shattering inside his chest as despair threatened to overwhelm him, "I cannot guarantee that you will ever see her again."
"She's dead, isn't she?" Henrik whimpered, tears falling from his eyes, "That is what you are afraid to tell me. Father killed her."
"He tried to." Klaus brushed away one of Henrik's tears, "But I myself do not know whether she is alive or dead and it kills me inside." He blinked rapidly to keep the water in his eyes away, "She's my wife! And I do not know whether to mourn her or wait for her."
"We shall wait for her to return to us, Niklaus." Henrik decided, his answer strong and resolute, "I will see Caroline again, as will you all."
"How can you all be so sure?" Klaus asked in amazement, Henrik went from devastated to determined in the blink of an eye.
"It is Caroline." Henrik stated simply, her name was all he needed to convey his conviction - strong, stubborn, loving, loyal - Caroline was all that and so much more. She will be back.
Klaus grinned slyly at Henrik, "She is pretty spectacular, isn't she?"
"She is perfect for you, Nik." Henrik wrapped his arms around Klaus and held him firmly, "Which is why she will come back to you. Caroline would never leave you by choice." He smiled at his brother before returning to his room and trying to somehow go back to sleep after all he'd learnt.
Klaus thought over Henrik's words long after he'd left. She was the strongest woman he knew and if anyone had the stubbornest nature to come back to him it was his Caroline. He smiled to himself and whispered to the quiet room, "I will wait for you to come back to me, Caroline."
Inbetween
Caroline looked between Ara and Nera, her eyes pleading with them, "Do not take me from him again. It will destroy him."
"He will survive until he meets you again." Nera tried to reassure Caroline, "He will wait for you, Caroline, I have seen that."
"I know he will wait for me." Caroline replied, tears clinging to her lashes, "He will alternate between hope and despair for the next five hundred years until he sees me again."
"You do not belong in this time, Caroline." Ara warned Caroline, "It was only supposed to be a year at most, a year in which you and Niklaus would become bonded and we would send you back to your future."
"I'm not asking for forever!" Caroline glared at the two ancient beings whom had played around with her life, "All I ask is that you send me back so that I can explain everything to Klaus." She could see Ara and Nera looking at one another, having a conversation with their eyes. She raised her chin up and crossed her arms over her chest as she glared at them, "I will not go anywhere unless it's back to my husband."
Ara and Nera shared a look before chuckling.
Caroline kept her stubborn glare on both of them.
2014
Stefan sat in the darkened study, absently drinking from his second or third bottle of alcohol, he'd lost count in his grief. Caroline was gone for good and he found that he did not care about anything at this particular moment, he was halfway to becoming the ripper again, all he wanted was to stop feeling this aching pit of hurt and loneliness. First he'd lost Lexi - his first best friend who had pulled him back from the brink more times than he could count - and now Caroline - his second best friend - she had been there for him every day without fail, ever since he'd asked her to not let him lose control, and every time he felt like he wanted to she was there reminding him that he was better than that and he would get through it. But how could he continue to get through it without them, was he supposed to find a third best friend who would be as wonderful as his first two?
No. No, no and no. Caroline was the last, he couldn't take losing another person that anchored him and kept him sane. He refused to go through this pain again.
"Brother?"
Stefan looked up through blurry and bloodshot eyes to see Damon in the doorway with Bonnie beside him, his arm wrapped around her shaking shoulders, "You know?"
"We know." Damon's voice was low, his eyes taking in his brothers devastation, "Elijah and," he widened his eyes meaningfully, "Elena told us when we arrived."
"Good." Stefan leant his head back against the chair, "Saves me the trouble of telling you." He raised the bottle to his lips and took another pull.
"Stefan!" Bonnie was shocked at Stefan's apparent apathy, "Caroline considered you her best friend." Her teary eyes narrowed at him judgmentally, "Do you even care that she's dead?"
"Bonnie," Damon hissed and shook his head, "Shut. Up."
It was too late, the damage had already been inflicted on Stefan's already bruised soul. He stood up, glared angrily at Bonnie and threw his half empty bottle of alcohol at the wall next to Bonnie, showering them both in glass.
"Brother!" Damon hissed at Stefan, pulling Bonnie tighter into his side, "Control yourself."
Stefan ignored Damon, his eyes boring into Bonnie's, "Do I care? She has been there for me every single day since I asked her to. She has held me as I cried, pulled me out of a funk with her infectious positivity and danced crazily with me," his voice began to shake, "to Bon Jovi, all night, just to put a smile on my face." He stalked closer to them, tears running down his cheeks, "And I have been there for her. I held her as she cried over Tyler. Even without my memories I was still there for her when she was upset over your death, Bonnie. And I was there for her when she confessed to me about her confused emotions for Klaus." The anger left his eyes and his lips trembled, "She's gone."
Damon bent his head to whisper in Bonnie's ear, "Leave. I'll take care of my brother."
Bonnie nodded. She felt bad for accusing Stefan of not caring, she was on the Other Side to witness some of the moments between Stefan and Caroline, and she had to admit that she felt a little jealous at their closeness. But then it was Caroline, she could make anyone smile, it was just who she is. She swallowed down the lump in her throat, was, it is who she was. Before she left she whispered regretfully, "I'm sorry, Stefan." Then left to let Damon look after his brother.
Damon approached his brother slowly, he could see that he was about to break. He had been the cause of Stefan's heartbreak over Lexi, this time he would be there for him over the loss of Caroline. He gently cradled his face, "Stef... let go."
Stefan's face crumbled and he fell into his brothers embrace, his arms going around Damon's waist, his face buried in his neck, huge shuddering sobs escaping his throat, "She's gone, Damon."
"I know, Stef." Damon engulfed Stefan in his arms, holding him tight and staying strong as he sobbed in his arms, like he used to when Stefan was upset as a child, "Let it out, little brother, I'm here."
Stefan cried harder, Damon's arms the only thing holding him up. He needed his big brother like never before, he couldn't lose him, he would have nothing left if he ever lost Damon.
Damon continued to soothe Stefan as he cried out his grief. Knowing his brother the way he did he knew where his thoughts had led him, "I am not going anywhere, little brother."
Stefan held Damon tighter to him.
Klaus listened to the broken sobs of Stefan as Damon comforted him. He knew that Stefan and Caroline were close but he didn't know that they were that close. He was almost as devastated as Klaus was, though no one could be as broken as him, Stefan lost a best friend, Klaus lost his wife, and would have to survive without his other half for the rest of his never ending existence with only the briefest of memories to sustain him.
What a joke, nothing could ever make him whole again except the feel of Caroline in his arms. The universe had proven once again that it hated him, to give him the smallest taste of complete and utter happiness only to rip it away from him. He wanted to rip the heavens apart and bathe it in blood until she was back. He waited a thousand years to break his curse, he would wait until the end of time itself to find a way to bring Caroline back.
Elijah sat next to Katherine in the courtyard, his fingers stroking along her bare arm, unwilling to lose his newfound connection to his love. He could only imagine the pain that Klaus was going through, he had grieved for Katherine in the shortest of times before she revealed herself to him, but in that time he felt wrecked. Klaus would never have that relief, Caroline died centuries ago and it pained Elijah that he couldn't remember how they fell in love or their wedding. Would it be a blessing or a curse to recover those memories? He did not know Caroline in this time so he only felt sympathy for Klaus's pain, if he remembered would he view Caroline as another sister and therefore grieve her as such? He did not know.
Katherine could sense Elijah's mixed emotions. She raised her hand to cradle his chin to lift his eyes to her, "Are you okay, Elijah?"
Elijah smiled at Katherine, "I do not know how to feel, Katerina." He frowned as his confused emotions tore at him, "Niklaus had a wife, whom is now dead, and I do not recall any of our human days, I only have my memories of her from our time in Mystic Falls." He leant into her hand and asked her, "What am I supposed to feel?"
"Whatever you are feeling now is okay to feel. You do not know her yet and that's okay." Katherine gently brushed her thumb along Elijah's jaw, "When the memories come back, IF they come back, then you will grieve for her then."
Unable to resist, Elijah brushed his lips against Katherine's, "I did miss you so much."
"As I did you." Katherine smiled at Elijah, she knew that what she was doing was dangerous, anyone could walk in and see them but for the moment she did not care.
Elijah gazed into Katherine's eyes, he couldn't let her go again, he made that mistake once and he wouldn't do it again, "Stay, Katerina, stay with me."
Katherine's breath caught, Elijah had no idea what he was asking her, she wanted to stay with him for the rest of eternity but she wasn't herself, this body was Elena's and made it impossible for her to stay. Her eyes filled with tears. She needed to tell Elijah the truth.
Elijah read Katherine's expression, his heart breaking at the rejection he knew she was about to give him, "You do not want to stay with me." He clenched his jaw, "Was being with me one more time your way of saying goodbye?"
Katherine shook her head, "No it wasn't, Elijah. I should not have revealed myself to you, I never meant to, but seeing you in pain at my death broke my resolve." A tear slid down her cheeks, "I want to stay with you, Elijah, trust me, I want nothing more than to spend forever with you."
"Then why don't you?" Elijah grabbed Katherine's face in his hands and pleaded with her, "Stop this charade. Tell them where Elena is and stay with me."
"That's the thing, Elijah, I can't tell them where Elena is because I AM Elena." Katherine let her tears fall as she confessed everything to Elijah.
Elijah furrowed his brow, "What do you mean that you're Elena? I know that it is you, Katerina."
"I am not impersonating her, Elijah." Katherine moved away from Elijah and stood up. She wrapped her arms around her waist, "My body died that night. I passengered myself into Elena." She didn't look Elijah in the eye, afraid of what she might see, "My grandfather was a traveller, and while I myself never did magic as my father was entirely too judgemental, the power remained within me as a human." She bit her lip before continuing, "My daughter, Nadia, found a traveller to teach me the spell and I used it to passenger into Elena just as my body died."
Elijah was silent, so silent that you couldn't even hear him breathe. He just stared unblinking at Katherine, his jaw clenching together the only sign that he was feeling any emotion at all.
Katherine stared back, her breaths shaky at Elijah's none reaction, "Are- Are you going to say something?"
"What do you want me to say, Katherine?" Elijah noticed Katherine's flinch as he used the other name.
Katherine flinched, "I don't know..."
"First thing, how is the daughter that you gave away in the 1490s still alive?" Elijah asked, his eyes narrowed as he studied Katherine.
Katherine glared at Elijah, "I didn't give her away. My father ripped her from my arms just after I gave birth to her." She smiled as she thought about her daughter, "Nadia turned into a vampire and has been searching for me for the last five hundred years." She shook her head and chuckled, "So not only was I running from Klaus but it turns out I was running from my own daughter."
Elijah accepted Katherine's answer, "Second thing, why did you sleep with me? Knowing that I would actually be having sex with Elena instead of you. Why?" His eyes showed betrayal, "Why would you do that to me?"
Katherine swallowed, "I really didn't mean to, just as I never meant to reveal myself. You were so upset at my death and my heart healed a little bit knowing that you actually cared about my death instead of thinking that you never even cared because you didn't come to see me on my deathbed." She gazed at Elijah painfully, "Then you touched me and kissed me and for one moment I forgot that I was actually Elena and just lost myself in you." She dropped her head to her chest, "I know it was wrong, Elijah, I know that but it just felt so good to be touched by you."
Elijah kept his face like a stone, "Do you think that excuses what you've done?"
"It doesn't matter whether it does or not, Elijah, as I have no body to go back to." Katherine let a few tears fall, "Only death awaits me now." Then she gasped as she felt a knife stab her in the back. Her eyes went black and then she collapsed on the floor.
"Damn straight, bitch." Bonnie hissed from behind Katherine, "Go to hell." She had remained unnoticed as Elijah and Katherine's attention remained on one another. She saw an opportunity and she took it.
Elijah ran to Katherine's fallen form, "Katerina, Katerina wake up." He brushed his fingers against her cheek, "Open your eyes, Katerina."
"Katherine's dead, Elijah, that is Elena." Bonnie glanced around to see if Katherine's spirit had arrived yet, it hadn't, "The knife I stabbed her with is the only thing that can kill a passenger. Katherine's dead."
Elijah wrapped his hands around the knife which had just taken Katherine away from him. She was killed in front of his eyes and he did nothing. He clenched his teeth, his eyes overflowing with tears, and in the next second he buried the knife under Bonnie's chin, penetrating deep into her brain.
Bonnie's eyes widened, her mouth overfilled with her blood, choking on it as she tried to breathe one last time. Then her eyes closed and she fell to the floor. Her life now over again.
Elijah glared down at Bonnie, "You took my Katerina from me. You deserve much worse."
"No..." Damon gasped in horror from his position on the balcony overlooking the bodies of Elena and Bonnie, "What have you done?"
"She killed Katherine." Elijah straightened his sleeves and in the next second he stood in front of Damon, "So I killed her."
Damon's eyes widened at the crazed homicidal look on Elijah's face, "You have no idea what you've just done." He stared down at Bonnie's bloodied body, "She was the Anchor to the Other Side." His accusing eyes glared at Elijah, "You've just destroyed the Other Side, and everyone in it."
"Why should I care?" Elijah thrust his hand into Damon's chest and held his heart in his palm, "Where will you go when you die?"
Stefan appeared and clamped his hands around Elijah's wrist, "Don't kill him, Elijah." His eyes were wild and full of tears, "I've already lost Caroline, I can't lose Damon too. I just can't."
Elijah tilted his head to the side and narrowed his eyes at Stefan as he contemplated his words.
"Bravo, brother." Klaus clapped his hands as he surveyed Elijah's handiwork, "You have almost singlehandedly killed the lot of these interfering Mystic Falls idiots."
Elijah tightened the hold on Damon's heart, making him groan, "Do you have a preference over who lives or dies, Niklaus?"
"Caroline would hate me if I allowed Stefan to die," Klaus grinned at Damon's predicament, "which in turn means that Damon has to live."
Elijah smirked into Damon's fear filled gaze for another moment before releasing his heart and pulling back his hand. He took his handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped his hands clean. He gave a warning, "I suggest you remove them from my sight, brother, or else I will remove them all from existence." He walked away back to his bedroom, he couldn't return to his study where he had a last taste of her body.
Stefan released a relieved breath which he choked on when he noticed who was on the ground in the courtyard, "Oh god! Elena and Bonnie."
Klaus narrowed his eyes at Stefan and Damon, "Now why would my brother kill the Bennett witch?"
"Simple." Damon replied, a grimace on his face, "Bonnie must have killed Katherine who was possessing Elena's body, and the stupid girl must have done it in front of Elijah who then killed her."
"If you wish to keep your pathetic life then I suggest you pick up your women and leave New Orleans." Klaus crossed his arms over his cheat, shaking his head at their idiocy, "Elijah is not an enemy you wish to make. He will come for you and he will kill you all." Klaus grinned maliciously at the two brothers, "Enjoy your life while you can." He turned away and walked away throwing over his shoulder, "It'll be over soon."
Stefan and Damon shared a glance, understanding flowing between them, without a word they took Elena and Bonnie and left.
1543
"Nik!" Kol yelled as he entered the house accompanied by a woman, "Come down here."
Klaus walked down the staircase, "What is it, Kol?"
"I have found a witch." Kol stated proudly, happy that he had so quickly found what Klaus was looking for.
"Good job." Klaus smiled at Kol, then he gestured for the woman to follow him. He led them into the parlour and took a seat. He got right to business, "You can communicate with those on the Other Side?"
"Yes, I can." She answered.
"Do you require anything?" Klaus asked, anxious for this witch to contact Caroline.
"Something of hers would help me make a connection."
Klaus whooshed off and was back moments later. He handed her Caroline's hairbrush and an old piece of parchment. He watched her open the paper, it was a drawing of Caroline from their human days, "That is what Caroline looks like."
"I'll know who to look for." She smiled briefly at Klaus before taking Caroline's hairbrush in her hand. She closed her eyes concentrating, took a deep breath and on the exhale she whispered, "Caroline..." She looked all around her, "Caroline? Are you there?"
"Tell Niklaus that Caroline is not here. She is not dead."
"Who are you?" She asked, the woman before had brown hair down to her waist, a kind face and sad doe eyes.
Klaus sat forward eagerly, "Is she there? Is it Caroline?"
"He is always like this when concerning Caroline. I am Tatia." Tatia gazed at Klaus with sad eyes, "She is not here."
"She says her name is Tatia and that Caroline is not there because she is not dead." She answered, repeating Tatia's words.
"Tatia." Klaus whispered, that was a name he had not thought about in a long time.
Tatia smiled sadly, "I was once the love of Niklaus's life." She looked down and then laughed, "Then he met Caroline, and I was forgotten."
The witch tilted her head, asking Tatia whether she should repeat her words.
Tatia shook her head, "Do not repeat that. I did not deserve him, nor did I deserve Elijah, which is why I lost them both."
Klaus could not help but asking, "Are you being honest with me, Tatia?"
Tatia expected the question but it still hurt regardless, "I speak the truth. For the love we once shared, Niklaus, believe me. She is not in this place."
The witch repeated Tatia's words, "Tatia says, I speak the truth. For the love we once shared, Niklaus, believe me. She is not in this place."
Klaus nodded, "Just this once, Tatia, I will believe you."
Tatia gazed at Klaus with sadness, "I did love you once. Goodbye." And she left.
"She's gone." The witch said, looking between Kol and Klaus she asked, "Do you still need me?"
"No. I have all the information I need." Klaus felt almost lightheaded at the change in emotions, from misery to relief, Caroline is alive, somewhere. Waiting for him to find her.
Klaus smiled.
Inbetween
"Well?" Caroline looked between Ara and Nera impatiently, "Have you made a decision?"
"We have." Nera replied. She walked over to Caroline and took hold of her arm.
Ara walked over and took hold of Caroline's other arm, "The answer is yes."
A cracking was heard in the air and Caroline disappeared.
Ara grinned brightly, happiness overtaking her being, "They are even more in love than I could have hoped." She covered her heart with her hands, "It was the right decision to send her back."
Nera shook her head, an amused smile upon her lips, "They have certainly faced more trials than I thought they would. They love is so strong that the light practically pours off of Caroline's soul." She smirked, "The darkness can try all to separate them, they never will again."
Ara giggled, "Speaking of darkness. Where did you send Mikael?"
Nera grinned wide, "Why I sent him back to Norway. He will be no bother to the Mikaelson's, for a few years at least."
Ara ran over and embraced Nera, "We did it, sister! We have saved the future. That vision will never come to pass."
Nera released Ara and held her hand, "No, it will not." She tugged on her hand and pulled her toward the shimmering doorway, "We should go and wait for her."
Ara and Nera walked through the doorway. The bright hollow whiteness of nothing remained.
1543
Caroline fell on her knees in the grass, next to where Mikael had almost killed her. Standing, she brushed off her knees and ran back to the castle and to Klaus.
"Klaus!" Caroline yelled the moment she pushed the door open, "Klaus, where are you?"
Klaus was in his study when he heard the angelic voice of Caroline. He abandoned his drawing and vamp sped to Caroline. His arms going around her waist and his mouth sliding over hers, violently mashing their lips together as he reassured himself that she was here.
Caroline returned Klaus's kiss just as frantically, her fingers dug into his back as she clung on to him. If she had time she would take this to their bedroom and have one last memorable night with her husband but unfortunately she had limited time.
Klaus chewed on Caroline's lip before releasing it, "I thought I'd lost you. I thought Mikael had killed you." He cradled her cheek, not wanting to be parted from her.
"You almost did." Caroline leant into the hand on her cheek, "But I was saved."
"By whom?" Klaus asked.
Caroline took Klaus's hand in hers and led him over to the lounger. She sat down and swallowed before revealing, "I was saved by the people who sent me to the past in the first place."
Klaus searched Caroline's face, though he could see the happiness he also noticed the sadness, "Convenient that they would show up now. They are taking you back aren't they?"
"Yes." Caroline sobbed, "I had to argue with them to let me come back to say goodbye." She cupped Klaus's cheek in her hand, "I refuse to leave with you thinking I am dead again."
Tears sprung in Klaus's eyes, "Why must you always leave me?" He rest his head against Caroline's, "Promise me. Promise me that I will see you again."
Caroline nodded her head, "You will. Mystic Falls in five hundred years." Her eyes widened as she told Klaus, "On the day that she dies, after our time in the woods, whenever I reappear I will be your Caroline. Do you understand?"
"I'm sure that I will by the time I see you again." Klaus gazed at Caroline, memorizing her face, "I love you, Caroline Mikaelson, and I will miss you with my every breath until I see you again."
"I love you so much, Klaus." Caroline pulled Klaus to her and kissed him with all the love, passion and devotion that she possessed.
Klaus curled his hand in Caroline's hair and devoured her lips. He wished he could keep her here with him but he knew he couldn't. He would find her, when the time comes, and he would never let her go ever again.
"Caroline." Ara called Caroline's name gently, hating to interrupt her and Klaus's kiss but she had to, "It is time."
Caroline broke away from Klaus, she stroked her thumbs against his cheeks, "Remember to give my ring to Stefan and to give my bracelet to me on my birthday." She winked at him, "You'll know when." She removed her bracelet with shaky hands, and a tear slipped down her cheek as she removed her wedding ring. She gave them to Klaus, "I will have them back."
Klaus held the items gently, not wanting to break them as he would have them in his possessions for centuries. He pulled her to him for one last kiss, "I love you."
"I love you." Caroline walked backwards her eyes never leaving Klaus's, "I will see you soon."
Klaus smiled, "See you soon, my love."
Ara and Nera each took one of Caroline's arms and a cracking noise was heard and then they were gone.
Klaus looked at the only items he had left of Caroline. He would reunite her with these items and they would never be parted again.
?
Caroline opened her eyes and gasped. She was back in the tornado of fire, the heat was so unbearable that she almost passed out again but she was determined to stay alert this time. Soon the tornado disappeared and Caroline could breathe again.
"I do believe that you never mentioned to me a tornado of fire before."
"Rebekah!" Caroline spun around and sure enough there Rebekah stood, a big smile on her face.
"Do not hog her, Bekah, we have all missed her." Kol pushed in front of Rebekah and smiled mischievously at Caroline, "Hello again, sister."
Caroline's hands covered her mouth and tears sprung to her eyes, "Kol, you're... here." She meant to say alive, Kol's alive and here, and that means the future is most definitely changed.
"It has been a very long time, Kol, Caroline may not recognise us all." A sweet voice said, one that sounded familiar but different.
Caroline looked at the new voice, he had brown hair that was short but messily styled. His features were the perfect mix of Kol and Elijah. A big grin spread across her face, "Oh my god! Henrik."
Henrik smiled bright, his eyes crinkled at the corners, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, "It is good to see you again, sister."
Elijah smiled beautifully at seeing Caroline again, "It has been too long, Caroline."
"Elijah..." Caroline was overwhelmed, her entire family were here, some gloriously alive when they should have been dead. Yet, there was someone missing, someone who her heart craved for more than anything, "Where is Klaus?"
Rebekah, Kol, Henrik, and Elijah grinned bright. They looked at something behind Caroline, winked at her and all of them sped away.
Caroline felt hot breath against her neck, a shiver went down her spine when she heard Klaus's voice in her ear, "I'm right behind you, Caroline."
Caroline spun around and gazed into Klaus's beautiful eyes, "Klaus..." Her fingers trembled as she cradled his face, "I'm back."
"You're back." Klaus's eyes shone with happiness. He cupped the back of Caroline's neck and pulled her lips down to his in a passionate kiss.
Caroline felt the tears pouring down her cheeks as she kissed Klaus, a smile on her lips as she swallowed his moans and a joyous laugh stuck in her chest.
She was back.
TBC
AN - What did you guys think? That was a long one, covering like every time period I've ever wrote :) Plus a couple of deaths. I hope you all enjoyed it. It's been a year since I started this and I cannot believe how it's evolved in that time. Thank you all for reading and enjoying this. It means everything to me. Until next tim